


Burnt Cookies

by ConfessionForAnotherTime



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Angst and Feels, Character Death, Cute, Demisexual Bitters, Developing Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Implied Relationships, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-25
Updated: 2015-03-25
Packaged: 2018-03-19 12:18:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3609831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConfessionForAnotherTime/pseuds/ConfessionForAnotherTime
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Palomo is looking to help move his friendship with Bitters to a relationship when the base is attacked.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Burnt Cookies

“Palomo, you are such a mess.” So few things were available where Bitters could show his varying abilities to craft for Palomo, leaving cooking of mediocre rations one of his only options. “I will actually teach you how to cook after this damn war is over but right now? You are an absolute mess.”

Palomo stood before him in his sweats, hair a lighter shade of brown from all the flour in it. He should be able to follow a simple recipe for cookies, right? _Guess not._ There were few comforts offered to the rebels of the New Republic army and since joining up with the Federal Army of Chorus, they at least stood a chance of being able to take down the force set and determined on decimating the planet for their own devices. Bitters ruffled the younger man’s hair, stepping back at the poof of flour that erupted from his hair.

“Still can’t believe you’re nineteen, and you haven’t made cookies.” Palomo coughed at the flour, helping shake more flour out of his curls. The flour lightened his skin and the dough clung to his skin and clothes. “How you have managed to make this much of the ingredients on you as well is astounding. This is why you’re Movie Hawkeye.”

“Hey, shut the fuck up. I told you not to call me that. You’re such a jerk.” Palomo rubbed his arm against Bitters’ side, smiling at him anyway. He angled up on his tip toes, still not able to reach up to k—Bitters surprised him by leaning down to kiss him. The small gesture didn’t go unnoticed, Palomo doing his best to balance up to keep the contact. It may have only happened a few times, but Palomo’s heart still swelled each time the slight roughness of Bitters’ lips covered his own. They weren’t sure what they were to each other. Palomo considered Bitters a friend, even if he wanted to consider him more than that. Palomo wouldn’t admit it yet, but even being separated from Bitters made his day a little less bright. Outwardly, they bickered and fought, but during those few precious times alone, Palomo was able to get Bitters to unwind even more than he already was, letting loose a softness that no one else got to see. The kiss continued, chaste and simple in execution, but meaning more in those few seconds than if they were able to be allowed more. The kiss broke, leaving Palomo giddier than anything that Bitters had chosen him to share it with.

“When this war ends, if I’m going to be lazy, I want to be lazy with you.” Bitters’ expression softened as Palomo’s grin widened at his words, the shorter man touching the side of Bitters’ face once his lips could no longer reach.

“I want to be lazy with you too,” Palomo sighed out softly, causing Bitters to scoff.

“Fucking nerd.”

\---

“No. Dammit. Goddammit Palomo. I was supposed to have time to tell you. I’m not supposed to die now.” Bitters crawled along, not entirely taken out by the blast that had rocked the base. He didn’t know if it was supposed to do anything but cause confusion, however, the blood oozing out of his leg as he inched past the bodies of fallen soldiers told him otherwise. It would have to wait. He could wrap up his leg later. The wound seeped right above where he had been injured before, the socket to his prosthesis damaged in the blast. Blood began to pool in the socket, or what remained of it, making it more difficult when he pulled himself up and limped his way to the exit of the base. His armor didn’t matter. Their guns didn’t matter. If the Feds were using mortar fire, they didn’t have a ghost of a chance of winning this war.

He told himself they would make it out. Not just for him, but for his family. His sister. Yet as he clutched the armor at his chest, he knew that he wouldn’t be making it out of this fight. The gun pressed to the back of his neck confirmed his suspicions.

“Well well well, what do we have here? Lieutenant Bitters? So nice of you to make it so easy to find you. It’ll be such a treat showing your dear Palomo just how much you mean to him when I show him your corpse.” Felix cocked his pistol. The shot would be fatal at this range.

“Don’t you dare hurt him,” Bitters ground out. If he could just… no. If he failed, Felix would torture Palomo, or worse.

“Dare? I don’t need to be dared to do anything like that. Now, are there any last words you want me to tell him? Maybe confess your undying love as you get gunned down like a dog? So tragic really. Two lovers unable to blossom and grow in a war-torn world. Just breaks my heart. Too bad you aren’t on the winning side. I would have con--- who am I kidding? You’re a second rate soldier that never would have passed basic training if it weren’t for the fact this war is going on. I bet you don’t even have family who would care if you died.” Felix continued, ignoring the grit of Bitters’ teeth the longer he continued. “So about those last words.”

“Goddammit Palomo.” I didn’t even get to tell you. He closed his eyes. They had plans for after the war. They had talked of heading to to a different planet with late night whispered words of settling down and making a place for themselves. Bitters had planned to take Palomo out to get more tattoos of significance for him even if all Palomo did was sit and watch. There were plans to watch the sunset. Palomo had movies he wanted to show Bitters, even if he said they would make him cry. _I’ll just make fun of you because honestly, Palomo who the fuck cries during The Winter Soldier?_ There were talks of trips of comic books and woodland hikes. None of it mattered with the barrel of Felix’s pistol pressed snug against the body suit of his armor. None of it mattered after Felix cocked the gun, sliding the bullet into the chamber to prepare for when he pulled the trigger.

None of it mattered.

I didn’t even get to tell you.

\---

_I haven’t heard from him._

“Palomo, you should eat something.”

_I haven’t heard from him._

“Status report on Echo Squad.”

_I haven’t heard from him._

“This war is hard on everyone.”

_I haven’t heard from him._

“Palomo, I know the mortar scared you, but you should eat.”

_I haven’t heard from him._

“Goddammit Palomo, what is going on with you?” Tucker snapped through to Palomo’s thoughts racing in his head. How many other things had been said while he was out of it? What else had he missed? What else would he miss?

“I haven’t heard from him.” His voice barely made a sound over the bustle of bodies being moved as half of the base had been morphed into a makeshift hospital. The Private had been forgotten in the hustle, still looking for his partner in all of the limbs and busted armor.

Tucker reeled in shock, though his body language didn’t betray him. He knew what that meant. Bitters had just left his bunk. Bitters would have been in his own bunk when the mortar went off, safe from the blast. Tucker shook his head. No. It wasn’t anyone’s fault, but he had just caused more pain for Palomo in a long line of him getting people killed for the young private. Everyone around Palomo died, and it always seemed to be on his head.

_“Why are you so mean to him, Captain Tucker?” Bitters spat out, breaking rank and getting in a commanding officer’s face. _

_“Mean to him? He brings it on himself? Besides, why do you care? He’s an idiot. If someone doesn’t help whip him into shape, no one will.” Tucker didn’t even turn around from field stripping his DMR to ensure it was cleaned and ready for anything that may happen._

_“No, Captain Tucker, you’re way harder on him than anyone else. What gives?” Bitters didn’t want to ruin his reputation as a do nothing slacker and in turn a Maverick, but this is a conversation that needed to happen sooner as opposed to later. Bitters had spent too many nights listening to Palomo bemoan working for a man who seemingly hated him and wishing that he could work on a squad where he was appreciated instead._

_“What gives? He has so much more potential than this. All I ever see him do is fuck around and make stupid comments. There so much more that he could be making of himself than being a good for nothing slacker. He should be out trying to help the team.” Tucker grew more and more annoyed the more he spoke, Bitters backing up slightly._

_“You do realize that he’s still a private right? Also, what team? The rest of his team got taken the fuck out because of a bad call. Was that his call? No. It was yours. We don’t blame you for it. So stop being so hard on him. Ease the fuck up.” Bitters kicked the ground for emphasis, wanting Tucker to take his words seriously, not realizing how close to home he hit with them._

_“If you’re going to come and try to defend your friend, boyfriend, whatever, do not insult my ability to make a call. Yeah, I fucked up. We all fuck up but I don’t want him making the same mistakes I do and based on the way he’s going, he’s going to end up just like me, sad and alone that the people he cares about are gone because they don’t have the ability to see what is right in front of them. So I’m going to be hard on him because I know he can be more than this.”_

_“Stop trying to let him live his life because you---“_

_“You know what! I’m trying to help him. I don’t want him to suffer. I like the kid. But he’s a fucking idiot, okay? Now go.”_

_Bitters stomped his way back to the other side of the barracks at the dismissal. He was caught off balance by the mortar shot. Shit._

“You haven’t heard from whom?” Please don’t say Bitters. Please don’t say his name.

“Bitters. I haven’t seen him since this morning before we were attacked. I know I saw Felix though.” Felix.

“I’m sure he’s fine.” Tucker knew from the sag in Palomo’s shoulders that he didn’t believe him, not if Felix was involved. Since revealing his plan and stabbing his Captain in the gut, he had become akin to a wild dog, attacking without mercy. The restraint he showed when he was a part of the New Republic army was nothing short of amazing, considering how much they frustrated him. Now he was able to take out those frustrations. Tucker increased the volume on his radio helmet, noting that Bitters’ had gone silent. He could hope that he was okay, however, that was too much to hope for in a war zone.

“Hey Palomo?” Tucker called as the young soldier began to leave.

“Yeah?”

“Don’t forget why you’re here. You may question it, but always know you have something worth fighting for. That something may change from time to time, but there is always something that is worth your time that is worth fighting for. I just want you to never forget that.”

Palomo stood there, taking in Tucker’s words. He knew what Tucker meant by it, but he still swallowed down the words for a few minutes as he mulled over asking the question that hung in the air. He wanted to know. He needed to know, yet at the same time, he begged for the answer not to be what he thought it was.

“His radio is silent for you too, isn’t it?” Palomo asked, his voice quiet.

“Palomo…”

“He’s dead, isn’t he?”

 

 


End file.
